LIMESTONE COUNTY, Texas — The Longer family has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the Navasota Valley Electric Coop after their two children were injured by a live wire — something their attorney says could have been prevented.
The picture of the Longer family’s 7-year-old daughter in the hospital is hard to look at.
She touched a live electric wire at her grandma’s house in Limestone County in 2021.
“She went over there to brush leaves away and got electrocuted, and he got electrocuted by touching her," said the Longer family attorney, Randy Sorrels.
Her hand was completely burned — missing three of her five fingers with severe burns on her wrist.
Her brother received a burned wrist as well.
It was reported that a tree limb took down the energized power line.
The lawsuit alleges that Navasota Valley Electric was negligent for failing to properly trim and maintain the trees.
The family’s attorney tells 25 News that Navasota's customers had long complained to Navasota about its failure to manage tree and power lines.
“There’s a lot of complaints and criticisms of the company, and they said three years earlier, they were starting a tree trimming plan which would take 10 years to complete because of a backlog they created," Sorrels said.
Now, the attorney has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the power company that serves 18 thousand homes in nine counties.
Sorrels says, “When people say it’s a large amount, what would you trade for your injuries and the disabilities that come with it?" Sorrels said.
"Plus, the stares, the anxiety, and mental anguish that goes along with living that way for the rest of your life — so, I don’t think it’s that much money.”
“The Longer family hopes they learn to put people ahead of profits they were saving by not doing the tree trimming," Sorrels said.
25 News reached out to Navasota Valley Electric Coop for their response. As of now, they had not reached back out. When and if they do, we'll give your their comments.
25 News will continue to follow this story as it goes to court.
